Disadvantages of Gluten

by Jan Sheehan

Disadvantages of gluten include the potential for intestinal damage and digestive discomfort.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, as well as foods made from these grains, including bran, bulgur, durum, couscous, graham flour and matzo flour. Because gluten is a protein, it has nutritional value. Gluten also makes foods taste better and improves their texture, so it is added to many processed foods. Despite these advantages, gluten has disadvantages for many people. Fortunately, a variety of gluten-free foods are available at most grocery stores as substitutes for foods with gluten.

Intestinal Damage

The potential to cause intestinal damage is a major disadvantage of gluten. For people with celiac disease, eating foods with gluten causes an immune reaction that damages the lining of their small intestines. Because most nutrients are absorbed through the small intestine, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies. For celiacs, eating just a tiny bite of gluten can trigger the release of antibodies, which mount an attack on the intestines. Symptoms include gas, bloating and diarrhea. Continuing to eat foods with gluten can cause malnutrition and potentially lead to death, because the body cannot survive without the nutrients absorbed through the small intestines.

Digestive Complaints

Gluten can be problematic for people without celiac disease, too. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, sometimes known as gluten intolerance, is believed to be more common than celiac disease, affecting 18 million adults and children in the United States, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Although this condition doesn’t involve the immune system or cause intestinal damage, non-celiac gluten sensitivity can cause digestive discomfort. People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity often experience gas, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and indigestion. There is no cure for non-celiac gluten insensitivity or celiac disease, but both can be managed with a gluten-free diet.

Gluten-Elimination Concerns

Although most large grocery stores carry gluten-free foods, these packaged foods typically have a higher price tag than regular foods containing gluten, notes registered dietician Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. For example, a frozen gluten-free lasagna dinner may cost several dollars more than a frozen lasagna dinner containing gluten. Additionally, eliminating gluten may cause deficiencies in fiber, iron, riboflavin and other nutrients abundant in gluten-containing foods, such as whole-grain breads and pastas, Diekman notes. If you must eliminate gluten, Diekman recommends taking nutritional supplements and cooking from scratch to save money -- fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, low-fat cuts of beef and corn flours are good gluten-free options.

Tips

Going gluten-free can be difficult at first since you’ll need to learn to read labels and identify foods without gluten. A registered dietitian can help you plan a nutritious gluten-free diet to eliminate symptoms of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. When eating out, ask your server what ingredients are used in foods on the menu and inquire about gluten-free foods. A support group can often recommend local restaurants specializing in gluten-free foods, as well as tasty gluten-free recipes. The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests contacting the Gluten Intolerance Group of North American or the Celiac Disease Foundation to find a support group.

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About the Author

Jan Sheehan is an award-winning medical and nutrition writer, having entered journalism in 1992. She is a former contributing editor for "Parents" magazine. She has also written nutrition articles for "Self," "Fitness," "Ladies' Home Journal," "Health" and other magazines. Sheehan has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Purdue University.

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